***
Chapter 9
“Deputised Operative Commander Dereniik I was not expecting to see you again so soon. What knowledge is it my pleasure to share with you today?”
A single lock of hair escaped Senior Commander Rwakabuub elaborate updo, ruining the symmetry. Dereniik focused on the man, which part of his greeting had been the lie? He hadn't been pleased with Dereniik’s last visit, but the previous salutation had not activated the ‘off kilter’ mental twinge of falsehood and insincerity now tugging at the base of his skull.
“Please be seated.” The after thought was added with an artificial smile.
Dereniik offered a modified version of the hand signal for respect, and a half-bow, before sinking into a luxurious couch.
The Education Department was on the same level as the Records Rooms and Morgue. Dereniik usual mode of operation would have been to gather all the facts. Checking multiple alternative resources before visiting Rwakabuub again. Limited energy had called for a change of plans.
The servant appeared again: gilded tray, two delicate pottery mugs and the ewer shaped like cluster of fruit. So Dereniik had been expected. A tantalising spicy aroma accompanied the offerings.
Distracted Rwakabuub gestured for the tea to be served without bothering to ask if Dereniik wanted a mug.
“Thank you Vix.” Dereniik appreciated his beverage was placed on the small marble table repositioned within a comfortable reach.
“Deputised Operative Commander Dereniik may I inquire as to the nature of this visit?”
“Commander Rwakabuub, I thought it may be that I was going to share knowledge with you. But I have reviewed my opinion, and observation leads me to the conclusion that you know why I am visiting. Commander Issolo lies in the morgue. Although you did not know his identity in our previous discussion you are not surprised, and you are aware that he is the third man to die from that team this rotation. Would you like me to resume sharing knowledge? Or would you care to continue? It will go better for you if you are perceived as cooperating with my department.”
Rwakabuub investigated his mug with an awkward frown.
“Commander Dereniik, Trakeidy’s death in the forest cannot be connected to heart failure and whatever happened to Issolo.”
“Commander Issolo was held against his will, tortured for days and then murdered. There will be a full investigation.”
Rwakabuub visibly paled, superiority attitude receding.
“Murdered.” He whispered the word as if saying it softly diminished the impact.
“How did your department not know, until after I had been, that you were missing a man?”
“The simple answer is his teammates were covering for him.”
“Explain how that is possible?”
“This season, he was teaching second rotation students’ fauna. Three of his teammates are also qualified to teach the subject. With subjects that are very broad in scope it's not unusual for men to specialise, his teammate Commander Largoo focused on Flitters, Commander Dentraan can tell you much more about gastropods then any man has a right to know, and Commander Issolo regarded himself as an expert on alpha predators. The flexibility of this approach leads to better learning outcomes. If the lecture enjoys the subject, there is a greater potential for students to benefit. And if students receive an extra few days’ information on a specific subset it will not affect the overall learning experience.”
“Does this happen a lot?”
“More lately. The High Council has been cutting back, feeding us less fresh recruit for rotations. You can't keep doing that and maintain the same standards.” The man shifted in his seat.
“How long had Commander Issolo been missing from his classes?” Why had he been wasting his time in the records room?
“Eight days.”
Dereniik raised his eyebrow. Rwakabuub hadn’t meet his eye, but the statement didn’t stir the part of his brain that detected ‘Truth and lies.’
“Are you are surprised it was not reported to you beforehand?”
Rwakabuub shrugged. “Yes, a little. He asked his teammates to cover for him. There has been reported sightings of an unusual alpha predator roaming the forest outside Chruciaal. His plan was to do Recon, find the creatures lair, its feeding habits, then get a team together to hunt it. The first three or four days nobody was alarmed.”
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“And after that?”
“Commander Issolo was not what one would call a gregarious man.”
“What prompted you to gather this information after I left.”
“You were correct, most men with blue fractals are from the Education Department, I was, concerned.”
The answer was Truth, but not the whole Truth. Dereniik hadn't asked quite the right question.
“You have the names and locations of his remaining six teammates?”
“Yes. That's easy enough, they're all teaching the second rotation students at Tijn. I will give you the list.”
“Thank you, I would also like a list of the next of kin.”
“Of course. Will your department inform the widow?”
His department? The paperwork for this Commission had probably not even reached his Department.
“Before informing the widow you will arrange for his teammates to return to Chruciaal for questioning and to get a positive identification on the body.”
Rwakabuub worked his thumb nail along the edge of his mug.
“That will be inconvenient, is it necessary?”
“Absolutely.” It was to far for him to walk to Tijn through the interconnected underground tunnels and he would need to be drugged or anesthetized before he could fly.
“Who gave you this information?” sort to take control of the situation. The report had been promptly gathered.
“Is that important?” Rwakabuub frowned.
“In an investigation of this nature I get to ask the questions.” Dereniik held the man’s gaze.
“My apologies Deputised Operative Commander, a past relationship and the sharing of tea make me forget the official nature with the discussion. I sent D’char runners to all three training facilities with missives worded expressing the urgency of the situation. The reply came from Principle Senior Commander Calibii before evening.”
Dereniik remembered the man. Calibii had been a Senior Commander lecturing Economics classes when four, nearly five rotations ago Dereniik endured his tedious lectures.
“May I inquire as to why I was not appraised of this development.”
“I knew you would figure it out and return. Didn’t want to interfere with your process.”
Not a lie not the complete truth.
Most people lied. Dereniik and his team had received an additional rotation of training after the standard three to become Deputised Operative Commanders. Part of that training had included the study of micro expressions, mannerisms, posture. vocal pitch and eye contact. All useful for detecting deceit. During these lessons it was discovered four men in Dereniik’s former team had variations of some residual Communication skill. At the time it hadn’t made sense, since then Dereniik had learned all prospective Commanders had been screened by a man with “True Lights” a talent revealing all inherited fractal potential. His team, probably many of them, were carefully crafted units fashioned to produce Coalition outcomes.
Dereniik and the twin’s skill was a diluted variation of Emotional Reading, which in turn was an inherited component from a Clear Yellow Mind Reading fractal. Called Truth and Lies, the off kilter mental twinge informed him a statement was falsehood, and more recently a dissimilar tweak indicated insincerity. The skill had proved useful on countless occasions and before the desarster at the start of the rotation he had been diligently training.
Defense strategies against Nudging, Compulsion and Coercion were part of the curriculum. Improving Communication skills had been left to the individual involved. Field experience had taught him he was far from completing his education.
Dereniik asked a few more questions. The answers yielded no new information.
He endured the ignominy of Rwakabuub watching him pitifully struggling from the lounge. Exhausted, common sense dictated he should have headed home but the desire to get to Zegreeb before news of Commander Issolo identity spread was stronger.
***
Viky’s first plan to casually encounter Ly as they went to gather supplies from the canteen had been a bust. Gabreel’s D’char sprinted across the green to join Ly the heartbeat the servant emerged from Maddie’s suite.
Trailing them at a decreet distance she arrived at a canteen out of breath and in time to see Ly disappear behind the swinging door servants appeared and disappeared through while restocking the smorgasbord.
Nibbling at the buffet while planning her next move she was cornered by a young woman from The Rift. Briefly meeting when they had been collected eleven months ago, Viky couldn’t remember her name. Mistaking reginal familiarity as an excuse for camaraderie, Viky was introduced to a squalling pink face and proudly given way too much information about childbirth and suckling a newborn. It was difficult to believe the infant had never slept but her mother’s insistent proclamation and frenetic movements lent credence to the narrative.
Saved by her servant, burdened with enough supplies to feed a clan, the sleep-deprived mother was cajoled into returning to her suite.
Viky glanced around the canteen, noticed another familiar face. Didn’t think she had been spotted, and it had always been her intention to explore where the galley where meals were prepared. Head down, ducking through the swinging doors, she passed a servant whose eyes widened. Hunched shoulders offered a small shrug. She wasn’t stopped.
With only enough room for two people to pass each other the claustrophobic circular tunnel extended down a gentle incline. Well-lit, stubby fronds of luminescent Biophyte clung to a ceiling and extended down the wall. Viky moved forward with caution. Further along the tunnel the quite murmuring resolved itself into the chatter of voices, clatter of crockery and the other sounds made when industrious people engaged in enterprising activities.
Of course, Ly would be in the thick of that.
Her plan had been to catch them alone in the tunnel. Thwarted again her next move would be to talk to Ly on the return journey but couldn't be sure they would return via at the same route.
“My Lady, if you are lost it would be my pleasure to assist you find your way.” A servant inexplicably appearing at her elbow caused her to startle.
“No, I’m not lost. I just wanted to see who is responsible for all the delicious food we are served and thank them.”
“My Lady, that is indeed a most gracious thought, and kindly expressed but quite unnecessary. It is our pleasure to serve.”
With deep laughter lines around their eyes the servant looked like a person who would find pleasure working in the gallery. Enjoy interacting with many people. An ample waistline hinted sampling exotic foods to be an active pursuit.
“Do you know the servant Ly?” she asked.
A flicker of recognition, the eyes lowered, an uncomfortable silence.
“They are not in any trouble or anything. Ly serves one of my sisters, and they are I always so helpful.”
“We live to serve my lady. This humble servant wishes to be of any assistance you may require.”
“Do you know where Ly is?”
“It is with great regret your humble servant is not able to give you their location.”
Viky wasn't fooled. The servant had been all smiles before she had asked after Ly. This person was only going to give her the information they wanted to reveal, and every inclination indicated it wasn't what she wanted to know.